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DURING MEDIEVAL TIMES
By Bro. A. Annandale,
Emulation, No. 125, Trail, B.C.
In order to have a better understanding of Freemasonry as practiced at the
present time, it is suggested that a certain amount of the history of the
Craft be studied to fill up the gap between the "Traditional History" as
explained during the Raising ceremony, and the Free and Accepted or
Speculative order which is in existence today. This thought was very well
expressed by the internationally known Canadian writer Stephen Leacock, who in
his foreword to "Canada's War at Sea" written shortly before his death
stated:
"We can appreciate better the achievements of the hour, when we realize that
they spring from no sudden chance, no fortuitous gathering of elements, but
rest upon more than three centuries of previous achievement." Needless to say,
the order rests upon far more than three centuries of achievement, and to
attempt to cover the gap in history previously mentioned is obviously beyond the
scope of anyone paper. An endeavor, however, will be made to give some
indication Freemasonry in Europe during the Middle Ages. It has often been
remarked that the work of our Ancient Brethren was very intimately bound
up with the Church. This is undoubtedly true and can easily be accounted for, as
generally, Temples, and in later days churches, with the exception of the
castles of Kings or wealthy nobles, were the only buildings constructed of
stone, most cities and towns being constructed of wood and clay.
The continuity of Western art can be traced from Roman Imperial times via
Byzantium, which produced the so-called Romanesque Architecture, of which an
outstanding example the Mosque of San Sophia in Constantinople, originally
built as a Christian edifice. From Byzantium, this type of architecture spread
to the West by way of the existing trade routes across Italy and France and so
to Britain. The lack of a common tongue throughout Europe was no barrier to the
spreading of the Mason's work, as the Mason who could express his art in
marble at Rome could transfer his skill to the coarser stones in the West.
It must be noted that there has been considerable divergence of opinion as
to whether the prefix "Free" originally referred to the status of birth or
the material worked in, as the term "Freestone mason" occurs in the earlier
accounts and is used in distinction with the term "Rough-Mason."
Many beautiful edifices have survived to the present day as examples of
the handiwork of the early Masons. Medieval Art was strictly Collectivist,
in that a group of Masons were engaged and paid for certain work, by the
Bishop, or Abbot who desired to have a cathedral or church constructed, and this
group undertook the work, which often was of such dimensions that several
generations of Masons might be required to complete it. The civil
authorities, that is the Kings and nobles of the day. did not hesitate to
impress masons, carpenters and other artisand for whatever great work they had
in hand. Probably from this springs the modern thought of the true meaning of
"Free," as the tactics of impressment were extremely unpopular, then as now.
However, the lords and bishops did their best to suppress revolts or strikes:
one story which has come down concerns St. Stephen of Nazine who strictly
interpreted the Benedictine prohibition of flesh food, so that butcher meat was
not allowed on the premises. The workmen getting thoroughly tired of a
diet of vegetables and fish, secretly bought a pig and cooked it in the nearby
forest, and brought back the unconsumed portion. St. Stephen, hearing of this,
searched the place and found it hidden betwixt some barrels in the Freemasons'
Lodge.
The term "Lodge" is of very ancient origin, and probably referred to the
living quarters of the masons employed on the work, but in some-cases seems
also to have applied to the workshop. Probably on many contracts it had to
serve both uses.
Apparently some of the ancients who were employed to work on churches for their
living were not ecclesiastically minded, as an Ordinance issued by
Bishop Grosseteste (1240 A.D.) commanded "that Artists should not be
allowed to grind their colours on the Altars of the Church." Sometimes,
these early masons sealed their contract with their lifeblood. For example,
a warlike Count of Normandy in the 11th century brought a celebrated mason to
build a stronger castle than those of his rivals; then killed him to make sure
of not being outdone in his turn.
It must be realized that much of the work of masons during the middle ages was
carried out by traveling fellows who tramped from job to job, as only a
few of the larger cities had settled communities of masons. The guild masters
kept strict discipline among members of the guild; it was often many years
before a Fellow could attain to the degree of Master and only then by becoming
the Master of a Lodge and having made a masterpiece which was acceptable to the
guild masters.
References to discipline, etc., are still to be read in the Constitutions of
the Grand Lodge of England under the heading of "The Charges of a Freemason,
extracted from the Ancient Lodges beyond sea and of those in England, Scotland
and Ireland. For the use of Lodges, to be read at the making of Brethren, or
when the Master shall order it These charges are six in number, and anyone of
them could be made the subject of an Educational Paper. Several stories of
the enforcement of discipline might be of interest. From the account book of
Eton College Chapel (1448 AD.) Robert Goodgroom took a full hour for his dinner
and was fined half a day's pay. In 1384 AD. the Master Mason of Troyes Cathedral
married: the chapter gave him a present of 8 pints of wine and two loaves of
bread, but cut his wages for the day. He and his fellows were bound to work from
sunrise to sunset in winter and from a little after sunrise to nearly sunset in
summer, without leaving their lodge except to take a complete dinner a day.
An example of the traveling lodges of masons is mentioned by Coulton in
"Medieval Panorama" where he refers to 15 Banker Marks in the church of St.
Nicholas at Lynn (1399-1419). These Banker Marks have been found in eleven
churches within a radius of 30 miles. The training of Apprentices and Fellows in
the craft is shown as early as 1250 AD., when a French Master Mason, named
Villard de Honnecourt compiled a book of drawings and hints for his
pupils. This contained sketches of great buildings which he took as models, and
trigonometrical methods for computing the height of towers, etc. It was not
uncommon for the contract for buildings to contain stipulations that the Artist
must give them a work similar to or better than that in some adjoining district.
An example of this is the contract for the Rood 10ft of Great St. Mary's,
Cambridge, entered into in 1520, wherein John Nune of Dynkeston and Roger Bell
of Ashfield in the County of Suffolk are enjoined as follows: The front of the
Rood 10ft was to be as good or better in every point than the front of the Rood
10ft in the Parish Church of Tripplow. The back side was to be like the back
side of the Rood 10ft of Gasseley or better.
Other legends of artistic rivalry have also come down to us. In Britain the
best known of these is the Apprentice Pillar at Rosslyn chapel. This little
chapel is situated a few miles south of the city of Edinburgh and is very
beautifully proportioned and enriched With carvings in stone. The two
pillars at the entrance to the choir are outstanding: these are called the
Apprentice's and the Master's pillar respectively. Of the two the former is
by far the most beautiful and artistic product. The story of the pillars is
briefly as follows: The Master commissioned to carry out this work, wishing
to obtain perfection, traveled as far as Rome to collect models and
inspiration, leaving his Apprentice to carryon with some of the rough work
in his absence. However, the young man becoming inspired meanwhile by the love
of a girl of his own age, Completed the carving of one pillar. The Master on
his return, finding that this work had outdone the best that he himself could
dream of was completely overcome by jealous fury, and brained the apprentice
with his hammer.
Freemasons, for some reason or other, attracted a few scholars, possibly
because they may have hoped to find an ancient wisdom dating from the time of
completion of King Solomon's temple; or possibly the earliest non-working
Freemasons entered out of antiquarian or social curiosity. Elias Ashmole is the
first who is known to have entered as a speculative mason in 1646 AD. Before
1700 this practice had become relatively common, and the distinction between
Speculative and Operative Masonry began. Speculative Masonry, thus developed in
England, was introduced to the Continent by the Catholic and Jacobite, Lord
Derwentwater in 1725.
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